SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — One of the 14-story housing complexes owned by Father Joe's Villages is just down the street from Father Joe's Villages in Downtown San Diego.
Next to it is a skydiving center, which has been turned into a homeless outreach center. Once Father Joe's adds 15 stories, it will soon be an affordable housing complex.
"We're gonna build 176 units, 15 stories built on top of the existing structure," said Josh Bohannan, the Chief Strategy Officer at the Villages.
The housing will be split into two groups. Half the residents will be in Permanent Supportive Housing.
"That's people who might have some kind of behavior, health challenge or, you know, some other form of disability or special needs,” said Bohannan.
The other half will accept applications from anyone that meets the income requirements.
"..Our affordable housing is gonna be specifically for people who are under the median income average right within the city of San Diego,” said Bohannan.
That means potential residents must earn 40-60% of the annual median salary, $119,500. Father Joe’s Villages told ABC 10News that rent will start at $723 monthly and increase based on income.
This comes after data from the Point-in-time count showed a 3% year-over-year spike in homelessness, including an increase in families and seniors falling into homelessness for the first time.
"We have people in our shelter system who have two jobs, who just graduated college with their bachelor's degree, and they're ready to move on to that next stage out of the shelter, but there's nowhere for them to go because there's nowhere affordable to live in the city of San Diego,” said Bohannan.
The complex is expected to break ground next year and be available for housing in two years.
